by Tony Lavely
“When I talked to Leonid about Beth, I didn’t mention the other, about the conversation beginning there. I’ll do that as soon as we’re done here.”
“Excellent, Willie, thanks. Okay. Amy, I appreciate what you’ve done, too. I’ll talk to Else about what you guys have learned. So, get back to school!
“Willie, draft up a message that Else can reply with to… to cover these points.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “As far as we’re concerned today, Ian and Kevin are dead. For a conversation to proceed, they have to make us believe that everything in September was a lie, and that they both are really alive. The video is a teaser, proving nothing.
“They get no further response from us without continuing proof that Ian and Kevin are alive and well. Emphasize that.
“As long as Ian and Kevin are alive, we’ll demand that they negotiate the amount of their own ransom… without our help. I don’t see any scenario where we’d turn down a ransom that Ian and Kevin actually negotiated, and it gives us a way to see if they’re actually alive and able to think. Make it clear that I won’t pay any ransom unless Ian and Kevin are in our custody.
“Any deal is contingent on both of them being returned, safe and healthy.”
“You don’t think they’ll accept those conditions, do you?” Shalin asked.
Beckie called on her evil-doing smile. “I think they’ll agree with most of them. After all, Ian and Kevin are dead. What can they do if we believe that?” She flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “I know, I know. But without continuing proof they’re alive, what do we do? We have to act as though we believe they’re dead until iron-clad proof to the contrary shows up.” She reached for her water bottle and sipped. “I’m gonna demand that. We have to act like nothing’s changed until they give us the proof.”
“Does that mean we do nothing?” Shalin said.
Beckie set the bottle down and looked at the woman. Of course, that would be her question. And just as of course, the answer… “I mean we appear to do nothing. Willie, get Beth and Tjaart on the phone; we’ll talk to them in a minute or so. Shalin, this…” She waved at the computer, resting silent on the table. “… is just another picture of Kevin and Ian. I have lots of pictures of Ian, and I’m sure you do of Kev. We don’t know when it was made, or why, or… Or any fucking thing.
“So, the order is that publicly, Ian Jamse, LLC, believes this video is a fake, sent by someone who has no sense of decency, intending to cause us pain. And just maybe, to make a mistake. We will continue our lives without Ian and Kevin, just like we were doing two days ago.
“Not in public, we’ll alert Tjaart, though I don’t expect anything to come out of South Africa now. Also not in public, we’ll keep our ears to the ground, hoping to ferret out a dropped whisper or mis-emphasized word that maybe will lead back to them. If someone will seriously trade a little money and my time for them, we’ll get more information. If they’re serious—and I hope to all the gods they are—we’ll hear from them again.” Beckie leaned back in the chair. “That’s why I think they’ll accept our conditions.” She gazed around the room, meeting each one’s eyes. When she ended with Shalin, she said, “I suspect this isn’t what you want to hear. I know it’s not what I want to say.” She sighed, then pressed the pillow to her belly again. “I can have every one of the team here in two days, armed, provisioned, ready to fight, or bargain, or malign or whatever. But I have nowhere to send them, no castle they can storm. Until we have that, we play by these rules. Can you do that? Or do you have any ideas about a different way to proceed?”
Shalin wiped her eye. “You know I do not. You’re right. Flailing about with no idea of the goal is foolish. You will keep me informed?”
She reached for Shalin’s hand. “Unless it will hurt you or someone else, of course.”
Shalin squeezed her hand and whispered, “Thank you.”
Beckie smiled and released her hand to find the water. “What I can’t for the life of me imagine is what they want to talk to me about. That’s just insane. Well, if it has to do with the dig… I don’t know.” She set the bottle back on the table. “Shen, make sure that every person who knows about this video knows the company policy. No exceptions. Willie, for tomorrow, get Sam, Barbara and Freddie on-line. Also, you and Maurice and I will have another substance-filled conversation about the future of the team if Ian, Kevin and I all end up… out of the picture. And ask Rou to visit; I think it’s time to update my will.
“Lastly, I understand the doctors want me pretty much inactive for about eight weeks, so I won’t meet with anyone until, say, May. Certainly not the…” Beckie couldn’t think of an appropriately vulgar descriptor for the makers of the video. “… not with them. And I won’t meet with any of them without proof that Ian and Kevin are well, and on their way back to us.”
“You’d agree to an exchange?”
“Yes, Amy. To get them back, I’d agree to an exchange.” She reached for the nurse’s arm as Millie and Dr. Claire came through the door. “We’re almost done, Millie. Everyone but Willie’s headed out; he and I will use the phone for a little bit. Nurse Jan can stay if she hasn’t had enough aggravation. Or you can.”
Chapter V: Lisa’s Graduation
IN THE SHELTER AT the parking lot, Jose Figuroa waited for Melina, the girl he’d been squiring about the Mission Bay High School social scene—what there is of it. She was a couple minutes late, and he was approaching angry; he wanted her to be the first to hear his news but he couldn’t wait much longer.
A car door slammed. “‘Bout time you got here. I’ve been dying to tell—” He looked up to see her. “Wow!” Melina’s light brown hair was up in two pigtails, Her dress… he had no idea what style it shouted, but he liked it. The white set off her dark skin perfectly. He circled her, sure he was staring. He liked it a lot. Especially the lattice of crossing bands walking up the back, and the almost open sides between her arms and her waist, and the short skirt. “Wow.” Might even be better than his news…
She twirled, not so fast as to flare the skirt immodestly, but enough. “What have you been dyin’ to tell me?”
His grin got even bigger. “You can call me Hazim Qureshi now! I got in!”
She wasn’t as excited as he was. “You gonna be goin’ off to Iraq or Syria or one a them places now?”
“Nah. Not now, anyway. Gotta get outta school, right? Maybe later. We’ll see, okay?”
“Well, okay, I guess.” She spun in place again. “Did I see that you liked the dress?”
“No, not a chance. I love it. And you, too.” He pulled her into an embrace, kissing her as if he meant it.
When his hand moved a little too far, she broke the kiss and backed away, breathing deeply. “So what’d you have to do to earn your way in? Nothing too horrible, I guess, if you don’ have to leave soon.”
“Naw,” He leaned against the wall. “I only got a minute before I have to be to work. But it was like I told you, I only said about what the Grove girl said—”
“You said you couldn’ talk to her?”
“Right. I didn’t. But I listened.” He grabbed his backpack and retrieved a small transmitter. “One of these in her girlfriend’s car and she told me everything I needed to seal the deal.”
“Like what?”
“You know it already. Her going to that mercenary group after graduation. A couple of them, including her boss, coming here for graduation. And…” He stroked her cheek gently. “… you were right. Her girlfriend’s a real good friend, just like you thought. I think that made the difference. Thanks.”
“She’s not gay, you know.”
“What? Sure sounded like it.”
“Trust me. Neither of them is lesbo.”
He stared a moment, then grinned. “Makes it all the better, don’t it? Surely won’t want to be called a rug-muncher. … Or have her friend called that!” He laughed, then brushed a kiss across her lips. “I gotta get to work. See you tomorrow.” He t
rotted a few steps before turning back. “Sure hope you can wear that dress again.”
“Cori! Cori D’Costa! Wait up a minute.”
Cori stopped short, shocked that any one would call her name, especially just before services. Turning, she saw Jose, the tall, dark, good-looking football player on their high school team. Then she noticed Melina, cute, diminutive Melina, trailing… no, she’s actually pulling him a little.
“What d’you guys want? We’ll be late, you know.”
“No. Only take a minute,” Melina said. She dragged Jose an inch closer. Obviously he was to be the bearer of whatever offer the two had.
He’s not very comfortable.
He scrubbed a hand through his thick black hair, then pitched his head back to gaze up at the acoustic tile ceiling. “Let’s go to the garden.” He reached out to take Cori’s hand.
While a surprise, he wasn’t squeezing to hurt her, so she shrugged and allowed him to lead them through the door to the courtyard.
The church courtyard had formerly held a pretty flower garden, planted each year in bright annuals. Now, however, with the water restrictions caused by the drought—the drought that was caused by God’s Will, not climate change, according to Pastor Richard—the flower beds were given over to moisture conserving ground cover. The little bit of grass was dry and brittle. Cori sneered without displaying her feelings. Neither Jose nor Melina had shown any sign of disagreement with Pastor Richard’s pronouncements, and while she wondered what had brought them to seek her, experience taught that throwing over the traces of the pastor’s teachings… Well, there were a few things more unlikely, she told herself, though none came to mind.
Once the door closed behind them, Melina led the way to a small bench. “This’ll be better if you’re sitting,” she said. Cori detected none of the sympathy that would usually accompany those words, but she sat, hoping the dust wouldn’t ruin her good slacks.
Jose stood a foot or so from the bench and looked down—just like the pastor does from his pulpit, Cori thought in what had to be a non-sequitur to beat them all.
“It’s come to the attention of… of, well, us, that you’re spending a lot of time with Lisa Grove. Quality time, if you know what I mean,” he said with a smirk. “You’ve been pretty scarce on the dating scene too, as far as Melina can tell.”
Cori’s heart sped up as his words sank in, but nothing ventured… “What’s that to you, Jose? I don’t recall you ever even looking twice, let alone asking.”
“Oh, I’ve looked. Other guys, too. And some of them asked, right Melina?”
The girl nodded. “But you had no use for them. Or that’s what they said, anyway.”
“So, we’re pretty sure you don’ need them ’cause you’ve got a honey of your own in Lisa.” He stepped back and made a huge gesture, holding his hands out the same way Pastor Richard did. “Now, while I’d surely like to screw you, I don’ need the… whatever they call it…” You sure don’t, Cori thought blackly. “… so I don’ care. Melina doesn’ care either…” His grin became something evil. “… but I’ll bet Pastor Rich would like to tell you how he feels about it. And then your folks… They’d sure be interested too, wouldn’t they?”
He squatted down in front of her, but not close enough to kick. And what good would that do anyway? Not like he’s gonna forget. But she could keep her tears from flowing.
“Now you go sit in church all nice and proper, not like some gay girl lesbian, and we’ll meet you back here after the service. If you do me a favor, I can maybe forego the public announcement. You know?” He rose and languidly offered Melina his hand. The pair walked back inside.
An hour and twenty minutes later, Pastor Richard finished his benediction. While he’d offered congratulations to Cori’s class, graduating next Friday, the whole rest of the time he’d spent reviling gays, still going on about marriage being between a man and a woman, as God ordained. The four year-old Supreme Court decision hadn’t affected his beliefs. Somehow, the sin of homosexuality was even worse if they could also marry. She’d about decided that she needed this church about as much as she needed Jose and Melina in her bed. “Eeugh!” she muttered, and wanted to repeat it when she pushed through the door to the garden.
Jose was by himself. “Good girl,” he said when she stepped through. “Now, what I’m goin’ to tell you is very important to me.” He waved her over to sit on the small bench. “You want to know how important this is?”
Cori rolled her eyes. “Not really, but let’s get this over. Believe me, I have other things to do.”
“Yeah, okay.” He handed her a slim box, plain white, about six inches by one. Thin, too. “You wear this all the time, even in the shower… it’s stainless so nothing will bother it. I’ll know if you don’t, and that’ll be bad for you.” He paused, but not long enough for her to protest. “Even salt water’s okay, so if you swim or surf, no problem. As long as you wear it.”
She drew her face into a scowl before opening the box. A necklace. Stainless steel. The chain went through and behind the lining, preventing her from determining how long it actually was. The pendant, though, that was a plain cross. Not a crucifix, merely a cross, but when she lifted it, she found it heavier than she expected.
“So, what’s the occasion? I don’t plan on pledging purity to you or anyone.”
“Even Pastor Rich?”
“Especially not him.”
“Hmm.” Jose frowned.
“What if I just toss this in the trash as I leave? Why do you want this? What do I get?”
“You do this til I tell you not to and I won’t spread the word that you and Grove are a… thing.”
Cori gasped. What kind of thing does he mean? What could he mean? We’re gay? She sagged a little at the realization that nothing she’d done would argue against that. And anyway, who would listen? No one, is who. Around here, it’d be such a juicy scandal that it’d be everywhere in minutes. Lisa would have no chance, even if she’d been known to date guys. And Pastor Richard… He’d be all over it, like stink on… Even Mom wouldn’t question it, not if the pastor was telling the story.
Crap.
“What’s this thing…” She touched it gingerly. “… do, anyway?”
“It don’t do nothing.”
“Yeah, right. If it doesn’t ‘do nothing’ how will you know if I take it off?”
“Trust me, I’ll know.” He reached a finger to the box’s lid. “Don’t test me; it’s more important to me than you.”
When she fingered it again, he said, “Go ahead, put it on. Won’t hurt you none.”
“Why don’t I believe that?” she muttered, but didn’t clarify when he asked what she’d said. Instead, she slipped the chain free and opened the clasp to try it around her neck. Too long for a choker, as she dragged the two ends together and fastened them. She stood and slid the cross into the neck of her blouse. “There. Happy now?”
“I sure am. And quiet, too.”
No comment she could think of would dignify her retreat; she pushed past him to the door.
That evening, she stripped for her shower and decided to test him by leaving the necklace on her dresser when she went to the bathroom.
The next morning, as she walked into school, someone grabbed her arm from behind and yanked her around. After catching her balance, she swung her free hand at… it was Jose!
“I fucking told you not to take it off!” He dragged her close, into his face. “I meant it. Don’t… Take… It… Off!” He thrust her arm away from him and stalked off. After a step, he turned back. “If you were testing me, I passed. Never again, or I get the message out.” Before she could nod or anything, he’d turned again and was striding away.
“What was that about?” one of her fellow students said, with a note of disbelief.
“Nothing. A misunderstanding is all.”
She heard “I’ll say,” behind her as she headed toward the door.
Beckie’s recovery from Ralf’s
delivery was going well, according to Dr. Claire the last day of May. “Otherwise, you don’t think I’d allow you to go anywhere, do you?” That was instantly followed by, “Take care. Start exercising again. You’ve got about ten pounds to lose, and your muscle tone to redevelop. Don’t skimp on eating; making milk takes a lot of calories. I’ll see you in two months.”
Thus cleared, Beckie was going to San Diego to fill a promise: attend Lisa Grove’s graduation from Mission Bay High School on June eighth. Amy Ardan was fulfilling the same promise; Lisa’s other mentor, Beth Stadd, was working with the Pakistan Dig protection team and so unable to attend.
Willie brought Shalin, Millie and Jean Sverdupe, Beckie’s mother, to the ten o’clock meeting the day after she’d made the decision.
“Okay, guys,” Beckie said, “if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were staging a coup or something. Why are you all here? Maurice serves great snacks, it’s true, but…”
Shalin and Millie gazed at Willie. He took a breath and said, “We’re of the mind that you should reconsider the trip to San Diego.”
“You’re still recovering,” Millie said, “no matter what Moriko said about allowing you to travel. She’s not going to argue with you unless it’d be a disaster. And I don’t think you owe Lisa anything at all.”
“Moriko?” Willie said.
“Doctor Claire.”
“Don’t forget,” Jean said, “Amy’s going to be there, and Dylan, too—”
“But none of that really matters, Beckie,” Shalin said. “We’ve been holding off action to search for Kevin and Ian. I know, I know…” She waved Beckie’s protest away. “Willie’s been keeping me updated on Tjaart’s reports from Durban. We still have no clues to finding them, or even, who took them. Or why.” She sipped her tea. “Unless you’ve been keeping things from us?”
Beckie shook her head. Shalin… Well, Beck, you have no reason to expect her to be happy about the situation, any more than you are! But she can express it, I guess. They had all, including Shalin, decided that Beckie would not put herself into a possible trap, especially before the baby had been born. It made sense to her, too, though she dearly wanted to get into action, somewhere. Anywhere. That’s part of the reason to go… to get out of here for a couple days.